Janice R. Andrews
Tate & Lyle’s Golden Syrup has announced a major rebranding initiative that includes the iconic image of a dead lion surrounded by bees being removed from parts of its packaging.
The new design on the redesigned packaging will include a lion’s head with a lone bee. This modification will be applied to a number of products, including dessert bottles and plastic syrup, with the goal of revitalizing the brand’s attractiveness to contemporary customers.
The rebranding won’t affect the iconic Lyle’s Golden Syrup tin, which is recognized for its almost 150-year-old packaging design. Dating back to 1888, the original logo, which features the biblical phrase “out of the strong came forth sweetness,” holds the record for having the oldest brand packaging that hasn’t altered.
Introduced more than 150 years ago by Scottish industrialist Abram Lyle, Lyle’s Golden Syrup has a long history entwined with fervent religious views, as evidenced by the Old Testament narrative of Samson featured in its emblem.
This month marks the beginning of the new packaging design’s rollout across multiple product lines. It has a golden depiction of a lion’s head.
The brand director of the company, James Whiteley, highlights the importance of showing customers that Tate & Lyle’s Golden Syrup is changing with the times while keeping its genuine and nostalgic appeal.
The rebranding initiative has received positive feedback from marketing expert Helen Edwards, who suggests that it may lessen the possibility of alienating potential customers who feel excluded by the religious background. She also emphasizes how crucial it is to keep some of the original branding’s visual components in order to preserve brand identification.
Tate & Lyle Sugars is making this change in an effort to update its brand image while honoring its history.
